Fire-escape.



No. 865,718. PATENTED SEPT. 10, 1907. E. R. MORGAN &: G. A. ERIGKSON. FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 15. 1907.

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PATENT-ED SEPT. 10, 1907. E. R. MORGAN & O. A. ERICKSON.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIOATION FILED APB..16,1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELBERT REESE MORGAN AND CARL ALBERT ERICKSON, F FORESTGROVE, MONTANA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed Anril 15, 1907. Serial lie. 368,286.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELBERT REEsE \Tonexx and CARI. ALBERT ERICKSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Forcstgrove, in the county of Fergus and State of Montana, have invented a new and useful Fire- Escape, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to portable fire escapes that can be employed as part of an equipment of afire department.

The principal object is to provide a novel, simple and effective structure, which can be compactly folded for transportation, can be readily and quickly extended to practi ally any height, and will constitute an effective and safe means of escape for the occupants of burning buildings, as well as an elevated support from which the firemen can fight flames with good effect.

A further object is to provide a structure which can be raised vertically or tilted in either direction, as may be found convenient or necessary.

The preferred form of construction is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation of one side of the escape, showing the same extended. Fig. 2 is a view of the opposite side showing the escape partly folded. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the structure, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated, a base 7 is employed that may be mounted on a vehicle or other means of transportation. This base includes a pair of parallel bars 8 located at the ends of said base and having journaled therein spaced parallel screws 9. These screws are capable of being independently rotated, and therefore each is provided with a handle crank 10.

An extensible support is employed that consists of spaced lazy tongs 11, each lazy tongs being made up of lovers 12 pivoted together, as shown at 13, said pivots comprising bolts that extend across and connecting corresponding portions of the levers of both lazy tongs. Certain of the lowermost levers of the said lazy tongs are pivoted, as shown at 14 to the base. The other lowermost lovers are pivotally connected, as shown at 15 to angle brackets 16 that are threaded upon the screws 9. It will thus be evident that if the screws are simultaneously rotated, the support can be extended or contracted as desired in a vertical direction, or if either of the screws is rotated with respect to the other, the particular lazy tongs connected thereto will be raised, while the other will be stationary. The result is that the support will be tilted, and this tilting movement may be produced in either direction. This feature of the invention is important, as it permits the support to be extended at an inclination so that its upper end may be made to rest against a building when the base 7 is some distance therefrom.

The alternate sets of lovers, as shown in Fig. 3, have located between them, plates 17 that are mounted on certain of the connecting bolts 13, these plates being disposed in angular relation when the support is extended. Extending around the said plates are conveyers in the form of endless belts 18 having transverse slats thereon. The belts pass around rollers 20 journaled in the lovers having the plates, and these rollers have gudgeons 2i that project beyond the levers, and are provided with sprocket wheels 22. Sprocket chains 23 connect the sprocket wheels, and thus serve to connect the conveyer belts so that they will move simultaneously. Furthermore a handle crank 24 is preferably employed at the lower end of the structure, and has a sprocket connection 25 with the system of gearing, as above described. These sprocket chains furthermore engage connected sprocket wheels 26 that transmit motion from one chain to another, said wheels 26 being loosely journaled on the projecting ends ofcertain of the bolts 13. Guides 27 carried by said bolts, also engage the chains to prevent their interference during the extension and contraction of the support.

When this structure is not in use, it can be compactly folded, and it is intended to be employed as part of the equipment of a fire department. In case of a fire, it can be quickly transported in a folded condition to the same, and readily extended by operating the handle cranks 10, the upper end being guided by the relative movement of said cranks, as already described. It will be evident that the firemen may work from the top of the extended support, and that persons may readily escape from the burning building on to said support at practically any point. These persons will be carried downwardly by the conveyers from one to the other until they reach the ground, and thus their escape can be made in safety, the speed of the conveyors being readily controlled by the lower handle crank 24.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein de scribed invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be un derstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction, may be resorted Y to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a structure of the character set forth, the COmlJlIhP tion with an extensible support, comprising sections movable to angular relation when said support is extended, of movable conveyors mounted longitudinally on certain of the sections and disposed in angular relation when the support is extended.

2. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination with an extensible support comprising spaced lazy tong members, of conveyers located between the members and carried by sections thereof, and means for operating the lazy tong members.

3. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination with an extensible support comprising relatively movable sections, of a plurality of conveyors mounted thereon and delivering from one to the other, and connections between the conveyors on the different sections,

-l. In a structure of the character set forth, the c0mbination with an extensible support, of a pluralityof conveyors mounted thereon and delivering from one to the other, and means for effecting the simultaneous movements of the conveyers when the support is extended.

In a structure of the character set forth, the combina; tion with an extensible support, of a plurality of conveyers comprising endless belts delivering one to the other and disposed in angular relation When the support is extended, shafts around which said belts pass, sprocket wheels on certain of the shafts, and chains connecting the sprocket wheels to effect the simultaneous movements of the bolts.

6. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination with an extensible support comprising connected relatively movable sections, of cooperating conveyers movably mounted on certain of the sections, and operating" means connecting the conveyers on the different sections.

7. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination with an extensible support comprising sets of pivotally connected levers, of endless conveyor belts mounted on certain of the levers and disposed in angular relation to one another when the support is extended.

8. In a structure of the character set forth, the combina tion with a base, of an extensible support comprising spaced lazy tong members, means for connecting the members, and a plurality of conveyers located between and mounted on the members, said conveyors being disposed in angular relation to one another when the support is extended.

9. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination with a base, of separate screws journaled thereon, means for operating each screw independently of the other, an extensible support comprising spaced lazy tong mem bers, plates located between the members and secured to certain levers thereof, rollers journaled on certain of the levers, endless belts passing about the rollers and plates, sprocket wheels connected to certain of the rollers, and sprocket chains engaged with the wheels for effecting the simultaneous movements of all the conveyers.

10. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination with an extensible support, of a plurality of conveyers comprising endless belts disposed in angular relation to one another when the support is extended.

11. In a structure of the character set forth, the combi nation with an extensible support comprising relatively ad justable sections, of movable conveyers mounted on certain of the sections, and operating means connecting the conveyers and longitudinally adjustable with the sections thereof.

12. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination with an extensible support comprising spaced lazy tong members, of conveyers located between the members and carried by sections thereof, and means connecting the conveyers for operating the same, said means being adjustable with the lazy tong; members.

In testimony, that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto aflixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ELBERT REESE MORGAN. CARL ALBERT ERICKSON.

Witnesses .T. M. Wnnnox, M. R, RrrcrI. 

